Whatever it Takes
by Penny Talisman
Summary: Free Her. Bellatrix you are aware that since you are being re-introduced to socity you will have to wear a tracking charm at all times
1. Prologue

Bellatrix sagged forwards her chains complained with strain under her weight, and her baby's. She was now 6 months pregnant. The rough, faded black and white striped cloth dress was already tight around her ever expanding bump.

Heavy footsteps echoed around Azkaban as two largely muscled wizards strode their way down the dark corridors.

Bellatrix looked up sharply as the footsteps stopped outside her cell.

"You requested a presence with the minister" One spoke coldly at her "For some strange reason he has agreed to see you."

Bellatrix smiled or rather smirked at them, as they unchained her from the wall and slapped on another pair of handcuffs that had an extra cuff on so she would be attached to one of these men at all times. Before being thrown in that god forsaken cage with spikes around her head.

She was shoved and dragged down the corridors past screaming jail mates, some hysterical with madness or anger others pleading and begging to be taken or killed.

Bellatrix felt nothing for these prisoners, not even Barty Crouch Jr ,who had ironically found a bit of sanity, realised what he had done, and was driven insane once again. Although in that spiked cage that would be her main focus while talking to the re-instated Barty Crouch Sr.

A large hand roughly grabbed her back and tossed her into the lift that would take her and the two guards, or idiot 1 and idiot 2 as she liked to think of them, to the ground floor. As she waited she rested her hands on her bump, she suppressed a smile as her baby kicked in response to her touch.

They soon reached the ground floor and Bellatrix was unceremoniously pulled out of the lift and dragged towards a small statue in the centre of an empty room.

"I assume you know how to use a port key" Idiot 2 snarled at her

Bellatrix raised her head so she was looking down her nose at him and replied flatly "Do you know how to use a wand?"

"Oh she knows how to make jokes. How refreshing" Idiot 1 exclaimed sarcastically.

She smirked at him in response and grabbed the statue. She found she successfully landed on her feet which surprised her, she never landed on her feet when using a portkey it was infact the reason she avoided. She felt herself being yanked out of her thoughts and she was once again pulled, pushed, shoved and dragged, down the ministry's underground corridors into a small room where she would be freed from these 'guards' but put into a cage that would be barely big enough for her to fit into.

Sure enough she was rushed into a small room where she was locked into the spiked cage and was being raised to meet the minister.

"So you seek your freedom, Bellatrix Lestrange"

She froze but managed to croak out "Yes"

"Would you care to explain why I should release you?" Barty Crouch Senior asked her, looking at her bump rather than in the eye.

"My child" She started "I would like to be freed so I can be a proper mother and because I do not want my child living in Azkaban, or growing up in there. It drives sane people insane and on one occasion it drove someone insane to sanity then back to insanity."

"May I ask how you know this person was driven sane then back to insanity"

"It was your son, the more he thought about what he had done to the magical world the more he realised he had been wrong and now he cries and screams with insanity because of what he has done."

"If you do not have any useful information for me then you can return to Azkaban"

"Malfoy Manor" Bellatrix shouted " It was the main safehouse for death eaters"

"We know. Take her away"

"No!" She screamed in desperation "There's another. In the muggle world as a back up." Bellatrix continued as the minister now looked in her eyes. "Its disguised as a manufacturing warehouse in London behind what the muggle's call the High Street"

"Interesting" The minister waved his hand at one of the guards "Free Her. Bellatrix you are aware that since you are being re-introduced to socity you will have to wear a tracking charm at all times"

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><p><strong>Okay Bellatrix will be OOC throughout this story due to the fact she will have a baby etc... Reviews will be greatly welcomed even critical ones.<strong>


	2. Chapter 1

As a condition of her release Bellatrix supplied directions, names and safe houses. Unsurprisingly, the Auror's did not trust her yet. She couldn't bring herself to care, as far as she was concerned the feeling was mutual.

Her bare feet slapped against the dusty wooden floorboards of her 'new' home. As dirty, undecorated as it was, with no house elf to clean it, she found the bungalow surprisingly homey. She made her way over to the last window, rag and bucket in hand, ripped down the moth eaten net curtain, and set about cleaning the inches of mud and dust off it. Usually Bellatrix would have hired several house elves to do this work for her but found herself, strangely, happy to do this for herself and her child.

Her right hand strayed to her bump as she sat down heavily, after finishing cleaning all the windows. She stroked her bump while wondering why such a small bungalow had so many windows. Her head fell back onto her shoulders, she stared at the ceiling, a scowl suddenly graced her face.

"How the hell did muddy footprints get on the ceiling?"

Bellatrix lay back on the floor, landing with a thump. Once again wishing she had been allowed her wand back. She lay there for a long time just idly tracing patterns on her swollen stomach, and hoping that the baby won't inherit its fathers' family traits. She grinned as she thought about how the fathers mother would react if the baby did, she'd go completely crazy probably, likely to hex her poor son. She had no doubt she'd reject her first grandchild, if she didn't kill the child of course.

Bellatrix heaved herself into a standing position as the doorbell rang. '_Imagine if it was the neighbour's' _she snorted in amusement at the thought. She swung the wooden door open, its rusty hinges squealing in protest. To find a ministry owl sitting on the step, _'Smart little bastard'_ It seems the bird was tired of being ignored, it had been sitting in her garden for at least a week, rolling her eyes she took the letter off of the bird and proceeded to read it.

_'Dear Mrs B Lestrange,_

_I am happy to inform you that the raid at the warehouse on the 24th was successful, Avery and Jugson, two former prisoners have been recaptured and are now under heavy guard. Your husband, however, was not present. It is vital to our success that you tell us, if you know, his whereabouts. I expect your reply to return with this owl._

_Bartemius Crouch.'_

"Fantastic" Bellatrix mumbled with a scowl, staring at unpacked boxes. Opening one, which she knew contained her ink, parchment and quills, she set about her reply. She grinned determined to be as cryptic as possible.

_'Retrace your steps, you may find what you seek_

_Bellatrix Lestrange'_

She returned to the door to find the owl impatiently shuffling on the spot. Once her reply was handed over the bird flew eagerly away from her home. Bellatrix swung the door shut, and walked back into her 'living room'.

"Right" She sighed, clapping her hands together unenthusiastically "Where's that mop?"

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><p><strong>It's been a while since I posted this story and I've only just wrote this chapter xD. Sorry about the delay, tell me what you think.<strong>


	3. Chapter 2

Sighing with exhaustion, Bellatrix sat down on a wooden stool, in her freshly cleaned kitchen. The last room was finally cleaned. Staring at her red hands, while flexing them slightly, she noticing how raw they were. _'Probably because I had to mop the ceiling as well as the floor, that had been no easy feat'_. Sighing again she leaned back and rested her head against the wall, thankful for the break.

An insistent tapping on her kitchen window broke the silence of her home. She turned her head to glare at the owl that disturbed her peace, before standing up and walking over to the window. The owl tapped again and Bellatrix tapped her fingernails against the glass, smirking at the owls befuddled expression. She opened the window after the owl tapped again, she stared at owl it was not an ministry owl, its snowy feathers gleamed perfectly reminding her of the bird that Harry Potter had. _'It was called Earwig or something'_ she thought absent-mindedly as she retrieved her mail from the bird. She was surprised that bird carried more than one envelope. Looking at the handwriting on the envelopes she found she recognised two sets of handwriting, the author of the third was unknown to her.

Upon opening one of the letters, one she recognised had her husbands handwriting.

_'Bellatrix_

_I hope for your own well-being you have not released any more information on my position. As I am sure you already know I barely escaped the Auror's clutches as I left for another safe house. Again I am sure you know which one I have gone to._

_If you tell the ministry where I am again, I assure you it will be the last thing you and that bastard child does._

_Rodolphus'_

She groaned in frustration as if her life wasn't complicated enough as it was, glancing to her windowsill she saw the owl had left. Most likely in a strop for the lack of treats. She opened the second envelope, whose cover was littered with the handwriting of a Malfoy. Briefly wondering which Malfoy it was, they all had very similar writing.

_'Bellatrix_

_What is wrong with you? Abandoning the Dark Lord like that. Thankfully you've finally showed your true traitorous self to the world._

_Good luck supporting you and your child by yourself. I hope you don't honestly think you'll be able to get a job working for one of those blood traitor's._

_Lucius Malfoy'_

Bellatrix frowned how do they know where she is anyway? Lucius was in Azkaban, she briefly remembered the scandal the newspapers had kicked up about his pureblood son being fatherless. Figuring he had written the letter before his capture, Bellatrix turned to the final letter.

_'TRAITOR'_

She frowned deeply at the lack of signature before tossing the letters into a large black bag, which for the moment was her bin. She walked into her hallway to get her dark red cloak, deciding she needed a walk, despite the cold weather.

After a half hour trek, through snow three inches deep, she was behind Hogsmeade. Flipping the hood of her cloak up, so her face was hidden, she walked into the busy city centre. Her gaze was trained on the snow covered ground as she walked. She quickly decided to go to the ministry, the Auror's department to be precise and let them know of their failure. Fortunately it wasn't far to walk.

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><p><strong>This is only half this chapter, I've stopped here because of a pounding headache.<strong>


	4. Chapter 3

Bellatrix's low, thick heels clicked against the dark wooden floor, her hood still obscured her face from view. She knew her way around the ministry well. She came here often, not that many people knew this. Turning right she walked past the newly appointed reception and the witches manning it, not bothering to sign in.

Bellatrix watched as the floor rapidly changed from dark wood to light, the dark walls turned to polished white marble, its gold edgings appeared shining in the light that streamed in through the windows, as the ceiling faded from concrete to glass. Eventually a large oak desk came into her view, ignoring the queue; she rested her hands on top of the oak desk just above the main receptionist.

"Hello and welcome to the Ministry of Magic's Aurors Department. My name is Sandra, how may I help you?" Sandra spoke in a dull tone without looking up.

"Well…" Bellatrix drawled making the young girl start and stare up at her fearfully "I need to speak to the Head Auror"

"O-Okay" The girl stuttered, making Bellatrix smirk, normally this would have annoyed her but apparently her hormones were still at home.

Bellatrix watched, uninterestedly, as Sandra hastily pick up her office phone and dialed at an impressive speed. After a series of quietly rushed whispers she placed the phone back in its holder.

"He will see you Ms."

"Good, " Bellatrix replied icily as she turned to walk through the entrance.

Her hood dropped and the clack of her low heels softened as red carpet passed beneath her feet. She held her head high and stopped in front of the desk, in her opinion, of the infamous Harry Potter.

"Bellatrix," Harry said in greeting holding out his hand.

"Harry," Bellatrix spat in distaste, ignoring his outstretched hand.

Upon lowering his hand Harry sighed "How may I help you? It is not often you come here"

Bellatrix smirked, deciding to play, "I have received_ three_ death threats _this_ morning that were delivered by _owl_ to my home. _I_ was told my location would be _kept_ from the knowledge of my previous colleagues. I wish to know _how_ the Malfoy's and an unknown ex-associate of mine found me"

"Ms Les-"

"_Black_"

Harry nodded slowly, suddenly remembering Ginny's hormonal fit earlier that morning, before deciding to carefully reply ,"Ms Black I apologize for any undue stress this may have brought on you or your unborn child. I will have this matter looked at, may I request a read of these letters sent to you?"

Bellatrix barely managed to restrain herself from hitting the Auror in front of her. "Of course but you will have to collect them. Unfortunately I feel I am not going to be able to walk home just to walk all the way back here."

"Of course, I can understand that. I will send an owl tomorrow morning to collect them from you."

Bellatrix rolled her eyes as she turned away from Harry and walked out of the room. After returning her hood to its previous position, she started her long walk home.

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><p><strong>Sorry for the long wait but its here now. Review please.<strong>


	5. Chapter 4

Bellatrix lay awake in her bed, her hand resting on her bump, she sighed in irritation at the sudden bout of insomnia. Realising the sun had started to rise; Bellatrix swung her legs over the sit of the bed and sat up. Rodolphus' written words swam around her head as stared out of her window at the changing sky.

'_If you tell the ministry where I am again, I assure you it will be the last thing you and that bastard child does, the last thing you and that bastard child does, the last thing…'_

She stood carefully, before waddling over to her wardrobe to dress. After her clothes and hair were fixed Bellatrix walked into her kitchen. Immediately noticing the tawny owl cleaning its feathers on her kitchen table, Bellatrix walked over to the bird and took the note it offered to her.

'_Ms Black,_

_ Your husband is still on the run. I once again ask you to tell us if you know of his hiding place. We have, as you said 'retraced our steps' to previous safe houses, to find them empty. I unfortunately must insist upon this matter, time and time again, due to the terms of you release from Azkaban_

_Barty Crouch Sr._

_P.s. This Tawny owl, Bonnie, is yours to keep and has a similar tracking charm as your applied.'_

Bellatrix rolled her eyes, now she would have to buy a cage and food for the bird, that was starting to shred her towels. Bellatrix groaned, wondering how young this bird actually was. She walked out her back door and grabbed two of the cardboard boxes left over from moving in; ensuring one was slightly bigger than the other she walked back in. After reopening, sealing and creating air holes for the young bird, _Bonnie_, before throwing a towel over her and placing her in the box, Bellatrix slid on the bigger box as a lid to keep the bird inside.

Bellatrix ran her hands through her hair, before letting them drop and hit the side of her legs with a resounding slap. Deciding that going to Eeylops Owl Emporium would be best now, in the early morning, Bellatrix grabbed her cloak and sung around her shoulders and left, praying that Bonnie wouldn't escape.


End file.
